Funding for second degree / further education?

zzzLazyDaisy

Can anyone tell me if there is any funding available for a second degree?

I graduated with a law degree in 1989. I qualified as a solicitor and did well, but in 2002 I was involved in a bad car accident and became disabled and housebound. I am a bit more mobile now, but still unable to work. I am in receipt of Incapacity Benefits and Disability Living Allowance.

I would like to return to study, but because of my disabilities, can only study part-time and/or on a flexible basis. The OU would be ideal, but I cannot afford the fees and financial support is not available to me as I already have a degree (I MIGHT get funding if I could prove that a different degree would get me back into the job market, but atm there is no prospect of me working).

Some other internet based course would suit me best, as I cannot always get out to get to attend a place of study.

I do accept that funding is there for the needy, and that if I can't work there is a good case for refusing funding. But on the other hand, keeping my brain in working order and continuing to interact with people, albeit over the internet, is important to my continuing recovery.

Before anyone says anything... I give a fair amount of free legal advice and assistance to people who are referred to me. I do try to use the skills I have for the good of other people, but I need to develop other skills for my own self development / self esteem too.

Any ideas, anyone?

Many thanks

musostudent

Funding for a second degree appears to be discretionary, at least in terms of a student loan. In order to find out whether or not you qualify you'd need to speak to your local education authority as it is they who operate the discretion. I would think you could put quite a good case forward for funding, but as you cannot guarantee being able to work afterwards they may use that as a valid reason for not giving it to you. I'm not sure about other forms of funding but your LEA ought to be able to give you the information you require as well as any other possible contacts you could try. You could also try ringing the OU and asking if they had any other ideas or options you could try.

If you did manage to secure a student loan then you should be able to get other forms of funding that go along with that such as disability benefits and such, although you have to be aware that any funding you do get may affect any other benefits you are currently on as it is counted as a source of income.

Sorry not to be more help!

DrFluffy

There is no discression. You can now only get a student loan for a second degree if you are doing a vocational course.

student_support_2006/07_guide wrote:

Previous study
Support will be available for the length of your course, plus one extra year if needed, less any years of previously supported higher-education study.

Existing students will continue with the funding package which was already available to them for the course they were on at 31 August 2006. They will also be able to get an extra year of funding if necessary to complete their course.

With the exception of supplementary grants (described on pages 12 to 23), further support will not generally be available to students who have used up their entitlement to funding. However, maintenance loans will continue to be available to students who do not already have an honours degree from a UK institution, and to students who are on a course leading to a professional qualification in a number of areas, including medical doctor, dentist, veterinary doctor and architect.

The ‘supported higher-education study’ mentioned which will count towards a student’s support entitlement includes:
• a mandatory award;
• a discretionary award (from an LA for a highereducation-
level course or programme of study);
• an award from a government department such
as an NHS bursary; and
• any other public support for tuition fees.

Even if your income prevented you from getting help with tuition fees for previous courses, you would have benefited from public funding. The personal
contribution to tuition fees represents only about a quarter of the average cost of a course and even if you paid it in full, the rest would have been paid for by public funds and could prevent you from getting further support. Also, if you had studied at a private college, your course may have attracted some help from public funds, which could prevent you from receiving any more support.

http://www.studentsupportdirect.co.u.../S_FSHE_V6.PDF
Page 26/27 (by page numbers on document)

DrFluffy

zzzLazyDaisy wrote:

Can anyone tell me if there is any funding available for a second degree?

I graduated with a law degree in 1989. I qualified as a solicitor and did well, but in 2002 I was involved in a bad car accident and became disabled and housebound. I am a bit more mobile now, but still unable to work. I am in receipt of Incapacity Benefits and Disability Living Allowance.

I would like to return to study, but because of my disabilities, can only study part-time and/or on a flexible basis. The OU would be ideal, but I cannot afford the fees and financial support is not available to me as I already have a degree (I MIGHT get funding if I could prove that a different degree would get me back into the job market, but atm there is no prospect of me working).

Some other internet based course would suit me best, as I cannot always get out to get to attend a place of study.

I do accept that funding is there for the needy, and that if I can't work there is a good case for refusing funding. But on the other hand, keeping my brain in working order and continuing to interact with people, albeit over the internet, is important to my continuing recovery.

Before anyone says anything... I give a fair amount of free legal advice and assistance to people who are referred to me. I do try to use the skills I have for the good of other people, but I need to develop other skills for my own self development / self esteem too.

Any ideas, anyone?

Many thanks

Would you actually want to do a whole degree? There are lots of other courses where you would get funded. As far as I know there are a fair few OU courses where by you would get financial help.

Have you thought about doing a masters or similar?

zzzLazyDaisy

Hi, no I'm not worried about actually getting a degree. Just doing a course to stretch my brain would be fine. I have e-mailed the OU, there is no funding for someone in my situation unless I can prove that it would get me back into work - which I can't. I have considered a Master's but there is no funding for that either, and I can't afford the fees.

Oh well, thanks for all your comments, everyone.

Daisy

Voyager2002

I am puzzled by the response from the OU. Back in 1999, when I already had a PhD from them (and lower degrees from two other universities) but was unemployed and receiving benefit, they allowed me to study for free because I was on benefit.

Anyway, since you can do a course for free IF it is likely to enable you to work in the future, you still have a wide choice. Foreign languages, computers, lots of interesting things that you could study that have vocational relevance.

Zziggi

Voyager2002 wrote:

I am puzzled by the response from the OU. Back in 1999, when I already had a PhD from them (and lower degrees from two other universities) but was unemployed and receiving benefit, they allowed me to study for free because I was on benefit.

The rules have changed recently voyager2002. I think it was in feb 2004 or 2005. if you already have a degree then you cannot get funding from the OU unless, as has already said, that you can prove it will enable you to get back into work. Even then i believe the funding is discretionary so you aren't guaranteed funding.